


After Armageddon

by homosexualspawnofsatan



Category: Jericho (US 2006), Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-05-14 20:51:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14777033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/homosexualspawnofsatan/pseuds/homosexualspawnofsatan
Summary: This is an au set in the show Jericho airing in the US from 2006 to early 2008.When the United States is rocked by a nuclear holocaust the small town of Jericho, Kansas, is left on it's own.  Eren Yeager is an employee in Hanji's shop, how will this new world affect him?





	1. The day the bombs went off

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone who does not know, when a nuclear bomb goes off it does not just leave a mushroom cloud behind, it knocks out power and communications, and it upsets animals that can hear it's explosion even from far away.

Five am, his alarm clock goes off. The song on the radio he used as his alarm, “I write sins not tragedies” by Panic!At the Disco. Eren Yeager hit his alarm clock and sat up sleepily. Rubbing the remaining stuffs from his eyes as he got out of bed in his little RV. His dog Titan was barking a bit, so he took him outside before he could really get to anything else.

 

After that the seventeen year old got in his shower and washed himself as best he could. He applied his deodorant and then shaved before sitting down to have breakfast and flipping on the T.V., it was one of his few friends in this world. It was on the news. He hardly had the motivation to change the channel anymore. Not since his mom had died a few months earlier. When he did it was only for his shows. He sort of zoned out and ate more of his cereal, only stopping when a certain story came on, one they had been assigned to follow rather closely.

 

“Later today the President will be addressing the congress in a summit on terrorism and national defense and the strategy for defeating terrorism abroad and at home.”

 

Eren sighed. The same boring news, the same boring day. Nothing about how small town no ones like him with Juvenile records could join and help defend the freedoms the whole nation enjoyed, and ones he believed that the nation really truly did want to share with the rest of the world. Though he was unsure how they would actually win a war on something that had always been there, and likely always would be.

 

Finishing his food he petted the dog goodbye and left his trailer running for the bus stop. The same time as always, nothing ever changed or got interesting around here. The others liked it, but a part of Eren always wished for a much needed change. It would make being gay easier, and it would not kill him to see more action around the town either. A small quiet town he and his parents had lived in their whole lives allegedly. His father was currently in Miami at a conference about a new surgical technique to help people with lower back issues. He wished there was something exciting about that, but he really did not see any of that as something he was interested in. He had always been happiest for fighting for people who needed someone to fight for them, but even that was frowned upon in this nowhere town known as Jericho, Kansas. That was such a bad fate to deal with, but he guessed he could only do what life would allow him, at least he had some freedom here.

 

He sighed as he entered the school. Much like they had since he got his juvenile record everyone around him seemed to look at him with scorn, except his friend Mikasa. She gave him a pat on the shoulder and headed right for her class. Sadly they did not see each other again until the class towards the end of the day. Government, the class that bored Eren more than any other in the world. He seriously felt sick of having to go into it daily. However, at least his one friend was in that classroom.

 

He smiled a bit when his childhood friend Armin Arlert looked his way, but the blond was grabbed and lead away by Jean Kirstien. That was a little bit depressing, but Eren could only assume that was what happened when one was now ostracized for the juvenile record. It wasn’t his fault, he had to defend himself when he was attacked after coming out. He didn’t quite understand what the big deal about him being gay was, but someone did not like enough to go after him, and he was blamed for the fight despite everyone knowing otherwise, so he served the time.

 

Life was unfair like that. The school day went the same as normal. Just mindlessly doing his school work as nothing else really seemed doable at this time. Especially since his former best friend didn’t even look at him anymore.

 

Lunch was plain as always. Hardly anything enjoyable about it. It was also never really all that filling. He always just got sort of sick of this stuff. He just wished he could escape all of this crap, find somewhere he was wanted and valued. The only thing he really looked forward to at this point in his life was actually work after the school day finished. Not that it was that exciting either, just the only thing that really gave him anything to look forward too.

 

Immediately after lunch he went into his government class, the last one of the day. Dealing with this was almost unbearable. The way they spoke about this like it was something they should aspire to do, be politicians. What good were they? They had never done anything to keep the people free. He groaned when they reminded him of their homework that night to watch the summit that would be aired for them all to see. Something to make them go crazy in Eren’s opinion. This guy would tell people what they wanted to hear, and then he’d list the ways in which he would violate their freedom and get cheered for it because they were at war. It was absolutely crazy.

 

He sighed in relief when the bell finally rang and he and Mikasa started to walk towards the bus together. He sighed wondering what he should do after work. Things like that occupied his mind all the time.

 

“So how have you been holding up. Your mom has been dead for a few months now.” Mikasa broke the silence looking at him concerned. “And I thought Armin would be here for you, but now more than ever he lets everyone pull you two apart. It isn’t fair to you, right now you need your friends more than ever.”

Eren shrugged. “I have been worse Mikasa. That is me being truthful. Haven’t had much time to focus on mom not being here anymore, but I still go visit her grave every saturday. It isn’t easy but it is what I do.” He explained getting onto the bus.

 

“Well, that sounds somewhat difficult still. Do you want to come to my place for dinner tonight? Mom and Dad are making homemade sushi and some other Japanese dishes if you are interested.” She offered as they took their seats on the bus. The tradition was to make ethnic dishes in their home at least once a week, either Japanese, or German as the other half of her heritage was.

 

Eren thought about that for a moment, and then nodded. “I think that sounds like something I would really enjoy doing. I can’t wait to go and have some fun doing that, maybe I can join in the cooking.” The familiar settings passed them by, the store being the most obvious thing on main street. That would be were he was until at least dinner time, then he would be at Mikasa’s for bit. “Would be okay to bring Titan? I don’t like leaving him in that Trailer alone too much.”

 

“My parents will be fine with it, just be make sure he behaves.” She teased as the bus stopped at her stop and she stood up to get off. “Be there around seven, that is when we will be having all of our fun alright?”

 

Eren nods. “No problem, I will see you then Mikasa!” Eren sighed watching as Armin got off as well, without saying as much as a word again. He did not like that Armin hadn’t spoken to him in the past three years, that thing happened when he was a freshman, they were in senior year now, though he knew the blond would be going off to Yale next fall if all things worked out for him so he could study to become a doctor and help people that way. He did think Armin would be a good doctor, but where would that leave him? Just stuck around town doing odd jobs until he could afford something he guessed, or maybe he’d get a raise at the store. He honestly did not know at this point. It was just something he always pondered, his freedom could be a curse even with how much he loved it.

 

Once he finally got off he ran right home. To his usual greeting of being flattened by a giant dog laughing his ass off as his face was licked into oblivion. He managed to push him off before getting him hooked up, pottied, and then to the store where he let the big behind the counter and then went about his usual work as Hanji came in.

 

“Good afternoon Miss Hanji! Great to see you, and thanks for letting me keep bringing Titan into the store. I hate leaving him cooped up in that trailer my family lives in.” Despite his dad being a doctor they did live in a trailer in the trailer park, a lot of the good homes were already taken, and it was familiar to his mom who grew up in a somewhat more humble environment than Eren had, and that was being polite about it. They had chosen to live there, though there was oftentimes silence now since Grisha was always busy with work being one of the doctor’s at the town’s hospital, and one of their few doctors qualified to do major surgeries, not to mention he had to go to a conference not long after that.

 

“It’s no problem really. The customers love him so much he is practically the store mascot, and someone needs to look after him so two birds with one stone am I right?” She asks as she walks by. “I heard about that Government homework assignment, and as much as I know you hate the class I need you passing so you can keep working, I’ll put it on for you.” Eren’s feelings on a lot of school were well know. Some people called him lazy, but Hanji knew he was really just not challenged enough, but unfortunately their school was just too small to get AP or IB classes in there.

 

“Thanks Miss Hanji. I really am thankful that you do this kind of stuff for me.” Eren finished with the usual cleaning and restocking duties and headed for the cashier where he would be able to watch the president’s summit with little to no problem. Of course he hated the assignment, but there was no choice, he would have to do it and pass the assignment to keep his ability to work for the store up. Otherwise he would not have very much choice but to keep up with school work and drop the job. He was expected to pull all As, mainly because he had to somehow make up for juve.

 

“It’s staring, is it okay if I turn it up Miss Hanji?” Eren asked grabbing the remote. A few customers were entering, but it wasn’t unusual for the tv to be up at higher volumes, as the shifts were often times boring and needed something to fill the quiet as customers came in and out. It was better than being stuck with robberies and things like that.

 

“Of course Eren, just make sure you pay attention.” The reply came from the office where Hanji was finishing up with the bills as the summit began.

 

Eren listened actively as the president began to open up his address. A few customers looked annoyed but understood that the brunet had to do this and take notes as to what was said exactly. Everything seemed to be going well, until suddenly the power went off and Titan started barking in a scared way.

 

“What the hell?” Eren stopped and ran outside trying to figure out what the hell had caused them to lose power all of a sudden. Nothing had happened to any of the power lines, and they did not have any sort of fuse they could have blown while only using what was normally used for the store.

 

“Eren get back in here there could be a live wire!” Hanji came flying out of her office like a bat out of hell. The boy had always been reckless, but this was a whole new level. Though Hanji was also curious what was causing the dog to bark in such a way, there was no reason for Eren to do that.

 

“He was trying to investigate what turned the power off, I didn’t see any flashes!” One of the customers yelled while petting Titan, trying to calm him down from whatever scared him. They were unsure why, but Eren and everyone standing outside were looking at something in complete and total horror.

 

“Eren what is the problem? Are you okay?” Hanji’s eyes were scanning the ground for any signs of downed power lines, but there was none. It would seem that the situation was likely a problem with the power plant, not unheard of in the least. That was unless Eren explained what was going on.

 

“M-Miss Hanji...l-look.” Was all the male managed to say, he was shaking as he looked at what it was that had his, and so many others’ attentions. The one thing no one in the world ever wanted to see, the one thing that sent terror through everyone’s bodies just thinking about.

 

“Huh?” Hanji’s eyes went to where Eren’s were, and they went wide. There it was, a mushroom cloud. The universal signal that a nuclear explosion had occurred, most likely from a bomb. Just over Denver from the looks of it.

 

Everyone who was looking on at that moment, knew that their world would never be the same.


	2. The immediate Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With everything going to hell as far as they know, Armin decides to throw a party to keep the other teenagers calm, and invites Eren despite his parents' wishes before they had left for New York.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much angst or action this chapter, but understand those are coming. Just a more lighthearted teenage way of dealing with grief.

Then the panic kicked in. People started to freak out and run for their lives. Many heading for the mayor’s office. Eren included after Hanji gave him the go ahead. He had no clue why this was happening, or just what it was. Had they been attacked? Had someone nuked the states? If so, where else did they plan to strike? Did they plan to launch an invasion? Or was this some kind of accident? That was the only thing that he could really hope for, that this was an accident. That in some freak accident some sort of nuclear power plant had just exploded and that they would be able to not fear for their lives. Though, given it was a major city that was just destroyed, he did not possess a lot of hope that somehow they would be safe. He had a feeling of doom, one that said this was more than an accident, that someone, someway, somehow, had finally launched an attack that could not be undone, an attack that was completely and totally going to bring the nation down to its knees, maybe even destroy it. Maybe someone had finally found a way to take out good old Uncle Sam, and everything that he had hoped to accomplish. This was the end of an era, and Eren suspected that everyone in attendance knew that. No matter how much they all wanted to deny it.

 

He saw Reiner and Bertholdt in the crowd and started to make his way towards them. Reiner had been home for a little bit from a college not all that far away, but it seemed he would not be getting to go back anytime soon. Bertholdt was Reiner’s not so secret boyfriend, though no one ever said much about it since the two would likely leave the town after college and everyone prefered they have nothing but good memories from the former football and basketball team stars. Though it was known not many did approve of the lifestyle the two lead, though Eren never did get that. There was no reason to judge them for who they loved, or the fact that they loved each other.

 

“Hey Reiner, and Bertholdt. Things have been quiet around here without you two. I am sorry your trip home was ruined by whatever that was.” He moved his hand to where the mushroom cloud had been. He was trying to stay calm above all else by talking to Reiner and Bertholdt. Whatever was coming, would be truly terrifying. No matter what, maybe it was better they were home for this, or maybe it wasn’t.

 

“Yeah to think a nice trip home would end up like this.” Reiner sighed and folded his arms. “Though I am sure Gabi is happy I will be home for a bit longer...though I am unsure of how this will make it a pleasant experience. I mean there was a nuclear explosion. So that has everything offline, and without power we will lose a lot of food. This is not a good situation.” Reiner sighed tapping his fingers on his arms.

 

“With any luck this was just an accident and we all go about our lives after the fallout is done. That would be the ideal picture. If not, at least Reiner and I are here at home to help defend the town if anyone comes to attack out home.” Bertholdt managed to be assertive here. His eyes began to wander the crowd that had assembled, crazed and terrified screaming and shouting was what had Mayor Green coming outside of the town hall after what seemed like an important meeting with the police and a few other community leaders to address the crowd that was only growing with a lot of people who were scared and wanted some sort of answer for all of this, and that was only understandable.

 

“Everyone please calm down. A few moments ago I received some horrible news. What we believed may have been an accident in Denver has been confirmed as an attack. There was another explosion in Atlanta from what we have heard based on a patrol car. The only thing we can do is stand here and protect and take care of one another. That is all at this time.” Afterwards people dispersed and headed in different directions.

Eren headed right back to Hanji’s store to help as he knew there would practically be a stampede to get things that did not need to be kept cold for food for a few days after they realized it could be awhile before the power was brought back on, if they were lucky it would be back on within the month, if they were not so lucky, well, it could take years to restore power. Even if it did come back on they wouldn’t have communications for the foreseeable future, which is what made things even more dangerous in Eren’s mind.

 

He made it in just as teenagers started to get into the store. A party was being planned by Armin. That much was obvious based off of what Armin and Jean were grabbing from the store. Mainly party type foods. Everyone grieves differently Eren guessed. It was still weird. He was ringing up things for a new girl in town and had a bit of a smile on his face. She seemed to be getting chips for her brother and her to enjoy, he could respect that.

 

Though that is when Armin suddenly broke the conversation.

 

“If you let me buy that I’ll invite you to my party!” He offered the girl. Eren was a bit surprised that Armin was doing that. It made him somewhat jealous, the new girl got on invitation before his childhood friend, who just so happened to be the one ringing up all these people. It was a really annoying thing that he did not enjoy seeing right in front of him.

 

Once he had rung Armin up he gave the blond a questioning look. He missed the days when they did not have to be silent and cold to one another.

 

“Hey...Eren, why don’t you come to my party later?” Armin covered Jean’s mouth before he could protest the invite being given out. The world was probably ending, and from the sounds of it, the least of their problems was how a family would look based on the people one hang out with.

 

“That sounds great, I’ll see if Hanji will let me leave for a bit to come to the party.” Eren had a feeling she might, his social life had been lacking since the entire juvenile hall thing.

 

“See you then.” Armin gave Titan a quick goodbye pat then waved goodbye to Eren as he and Jean left to go set up for his party.

 

From there,  he started some of the cleaning duties. It was never hard, Eren often times just dissociated while doing the duties. Imagination ever wandering to a world were he could just travel around, see what there is to see, learn what there is to learn, but real life was different, he had to do other things first.

 

The world that he imagined, seeing the sites, the pyramids, the great wall of China, the plains of Africa, the jungles of Vietnam, the Amazon rainforest. Everything and anything that was something was really beautiful and that he could appreciate.

 

When Hanji appeared, Eren looked up. “Miss Hanji, I have been invited to a Armin’s party, may I go?” Work was important, but a social life would be really nice to have, and more than just the one he had with Mikasa.

 

“Of course Eren, just come right back to work once you have had your fun okay?” Hanji hmmed and felt a proud smile come to her face as Eren thanked her and ran right out the door and turned running straight for Armin’s house.

 

The way to Armin’s house was long, but with the wind whipping through his hair, the pavement making that beautiful music it made when someone was running, it gave him strength and it gave him life to do such things.

 

The town may have been small, but that did not mean everything was close. Armin lived in one of the farther out houses. His family had one of the most expensive houses in town. That only made sense given they owned fifty one percent of the salt mine.

 

That's why they had been kept apart initially, because Armin had to be the perfect good boy, he had to do absolutely no wrong and hang out with people who did no wrong. Eren had to Juvenile for defending himself in a fight. It was the reason he had to defend himself that continued to keep them apart. The fact that Eren was the only openly gay and proud of it male in town. That however might not matter moving forward with everything that was going down.

 

The house was lovely, a nice shade of brown rested between trees with a view of the fields of grain behind it. That was the the nicest thing, the town tended to have amazing views available to the residents.

 

Eren came right up and entered. Many days replayed themselves, him charging in behind Armin laughing and squealing as they played with their foam swords. Many times of him running in so he could say hi and they could start their play date. The last happy moment here had been over four years ago now, it was time to add another one to his memories.

 

The climate became hostile. Many of the others there glared at him as if he had just committed murder. Of course he now wondered why he had even bothered coming at all. He felt awful for making everyone glare at him this way. He had ruined Armin’s party hadn’t he?

 

“Enough!” Reiner’s voice cut through the crowd. The muscled male stepped forward giving them all that disappointed big brother look. “Is this really how we treat a friend who made a mistake? Especially one who has since tried to make up for it everyday since then? One who has tried to walk the straight and narrow? Is this how we treat our neighbors? Is it? I would hope not.”

 

Bertholdt stepped forward too. “I can’t believe you people. I might understand if he hadn’t been defending himself, but everyone acknowledges that as the truth. He never stood a chance given why the other guy went after him though. Political climate screwed him over. I expected more from his friends.”

 

That got some silence, until Armin, Connie, and Sasha walked over to him and hugged him crying. Eren wrapped his arms around them. “I forgive you guys, let’s just have fun with the party okay?” He asks ruffling Armin, and then Sasha’s hair, he rubbed Connie’s bald head.

 

Reiner then hit the music. “Now we can party, but stop giving Eren the cold shoulder.”

 

Now dancing, music, and eating took place as people mingled and had fun. Eren watched as Sasha and Connie started to do their swing dance, while Reiner and Bertholdt went back to the kitchen where Eren assumed they would be dancing. It was not hard to guess. Everyone knew, even if they did not want to except it or acknowledge the elephant in the room that was their relationship.

 

Eren was over at the punch bowl when Armin approached. For the first time in years the two were in the same room, and close. Usually Jean prevented this, but he was too busy flirting with one the girls from school.

 

A smirk came across Eren’s lips.

 

“Look who finally decided to grace me with his presence.” He joked taking a sip of the punch Armin had bought earlier for this party.  “In all seriousness I am glad to see you without your parents’ evil flying monkey keeping us apart like he has been for almost four years now. How have you been?”

 

The silence the blond met him with was stunning. It seemed to be hard for the shorter male to say anything at all to his best friend. He started crying again after Eren’s question had full sunk in. Confusion smeared the brunet’s face as he looked at this site.

 

“Damn it Eren! Why do you act like nothing bad has happened? That I haven’t ignored you and your pain over the past four years? Why are you pretending I haven’t been a horrible friend over the last four years just because my parents told me to do so.”

 

Eren chuckled. “What good would that do? It isn’t your fault, it never was your fault.” He smiled placing his drink down and hugging Armin, placing his forehead against the blond’s. “I missed you though. You know that right? It felt awful not getting to talk to you for four years. I never thought it would stay between us forever, I am glad you’re willing to take the risk now. Even if it took awhile.”

 

Their lips started to move together as Deputy Jimmy Tailor and officer Levi Ackerman came in the house to break up the party.

 

“COPS!” Connie shouted at the top of his lungs and the crazier partiers such as himself and Sasha darted out the back door and ran away screaming that they would not be going to prison today.

 

Afterwards they were calmly told that anarchy could not become a norm and that they were too loud so the party had to disperse and everyone sighed  before starting to leave grumbling as they took what they had been told was okay to take.

 

Eren waved to Armin. “I’ll see you later, thanks for the fun party.” And with that, Eren ran right back to the store to continue his workday.


	3. Nuclear Rainfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fallout is coming, in the form of a rain storm. Just being exposed can get you severely burned or poisoned, when Eren shoots off to go save Armin, will either of them survive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I put a lot of love into this chapter. Fair warning the science is really sort of wonky, but that is because I am basing this off of what they did in the show to try and protect their homes and it worked. I assume this is because like most apocalypse shows do have some wonky science to them.

The day went pretty smoothly after the party. Returning home, following a similar routine the next morning minus the school as it had been cancelled. That was no surprise, people were panicked by the explosions the previous day. No one knew why they had happened or who was responsible, so it was out in the air, the town tried to operate as usual, now on the town’s generators to save the food as best they could.

 

Then came the announcement from town hall. The fallout was heading their way, and it was mixing with an incoming storm. Meaning radioactive rain would fall. It gave them an advantage of being able to do tilling of the soil to try and make the radioactivity less severe. At least according to a nuclear expert, some new guy in town no one really knew all that well but had allegedly been around long enough to still be concerned about a sudden nuclear attack in the world. Maybe he had not been for sure the crazy one, and this was suddenly the big situation around them now that proved people like him right, but now was the time to focus on survival.

People started to line up outside of the store and took handfuls of food. Eren was running around trying to stop them from what he thought was stealing from Hanji until he was pulled aside to have everything explained to him.

 

“Eren, I understand that it is hard to comprehend what is going on, but right now I need you to listen.” Hanji began. “But right now we don’t have much choice but to share what we have got. That means my profits have to fall down, and right now we don’t even know if the world will work that way going forward, but we’ll need food not just down there, but in general, this is the right thing to do. Do you understand?”

 

Eren looked at the people as they kept leaving with food. Mrs.Kirstien, the Springers, Mr.Braus, they all seemed to be getting only what they needed for the next few days and for survival. Just as the others had been. However, a look of confusion remained. “I honestly don’t understand Miss Hanji. But, if you say it is okay, I guess I can’t stop them.” He noticed that most people were heading either for the hospital or the town hall, where they had the two fall out shelters.

 

“Wait….I don’t see Armin in the crowd.” Now desperately searching the crowd, a sense of dread started to run through the brunet’s blood reaching all the way to his fingers. Without as much as a word Eren shot out of the store with Titan on his heels to find Armin. Leaving Hanji standing there dumbfounded at what she just witnessed.

 

Mikasa saw Eren out of the corner of her eye and turned to call after him. “Eren what are you doing? We have to get to the fallout shelters soon if the rain hits and you’re in it you could die!”

 

“Armin hasn’t shown up yet I’m going to get him!” Eren called over his shoulder, leading to Mikasa to rip off to follow him despite her parents making protests from their spot in the line to get their supplies from Hanji’s store.

 

“Eren! Mikasa get back here right now!” Hanji yelled after them as she managed to get outside. “Armin is a smart boy! I am sure he is at the clinic!” Though she had no way to prove it to Eren and Mikasa, it was the only way that they might come back.

 

That is when a hand was placed on her shoulder. The man who had done it had blond hair, and a mustache.

 

“Officer Hannes, I wish you had been here to stop those two from running off like that. They are going to get themselves killed one these days you know. You also know Carla wouldn’t have wanted that.” Hanji chastised.

 

“Of course not, but they have always been this way. Eren running on ahead, and the other two following behind, even if they have grown a little apart over the past few years. It’s just like him to lead them into danger to save a friend, and for the other two to follow, not eve I can stop them from doing that.” Hannes admitted watching Eren, Mikasa, and Titan disappearing into the distance.

 

Reiner and Bertholdt were nearby as this all went down, and looked to one another, before they themselves shot off leaving their own parents giving proud nods and a very shocked Hanji and Hannes behind.

 

“They won’t know how to keep the radiation out of the Arlert house! They’ll need one of the people who heard the instructions given by the man who knows what to do in able to assist them in surviving!” Reiner called back as he and Bertholdt pursued the others. Not much could be done aside from chase after the blockheads as they have run to help Armin.

 

“Armin what are you doing?” Eren called out as he and Mikasa ran up to his house. “We don’t have much time, you need to get to a fallout shelter!” The male would not abandon anyone in this time of need.

 

The blond came out in a hurry. “I’m trying to save my books Eren! I can’t just let them here to potentially be radiated! I need them.”

 

Mikasa facepalmed. “Armin those books can be replaced, you cannot. If you get radiation poisoning, we will lose you. The hospital is not equipped for any form of radiation poisoning and you know it isn’t. Common Armin just think. It isn’t hard to know you should have fled.”

 

“But my books.” Tears streamed from ocean blue eyes as Eren took Armin’s hand.

 

“Armin the books can be saved if we are lucky. We won’t get lucky with you life. If the rain hits you’ll either be burned to death or suffer from radiation poisoning. Both are excruciating pains and you don’t want to die that way do you? We have to get you somewhere safe, let’s go. We can make it if we run!” Eren tried to encourage.

 

“You’re right Eren...and Mikasa...I guess we can try.” Armin looked at Eren hoping that they would have the time, the storm containing nuclear rain was getting pretty close. That could spell disaster.

 

“No you guys won’t make it!” Reiner shouted as he and Bertholdt finally got up, bending down and panting.

“We have no choice but to stay here.” Bertholdt’s face was grave. They would be forced to stay here, which meant some pretty desperate measures for the group as far as what was to be done to survive the rain at this point, which was not much.

 

“Then we’re dead.” Mikasa grimmanced at their fate. She saw no way through this, the light at the end of the tunnel was not there.

 

“That isn’t true.” Reiner’s movement became quicker as he went up the stairs and into the house. “We need to duct tape all the entrances over, it is our best shot, then we go down into the basement and wait for the rain to pass. The doomsday prepping cop from Missouri told us to do it. So I trust the information.”

 

“The duct tape is under the sink! Come on guys!” Armin ran back inside while Eren hussled Titan down to the basement through the outside doors to it, waiting for Reiner, then he got a roll of duct tape and began to tape the openings closed, trying to keep the radiation from getting in.

 

“The fallout is coming!” Bertholdt shouted from his spot as look out. “We have to hurry! If it hits and we aren’t we’re all dead!” The reminder, though important, was not much appreciated. Eren darted right past him inside.

 

Mikasa was upstairs trying to seal every window on the floor. Reiner was working on the living room, while Armin was desperately sealing off the windows with the back door already all taped up ready for the rain.

 

“Eren get your ass up stairs and help Mikasa now!” Reiner barked not once changing his pace of work on sealing off the living room and it’s windows.

 

“Right away!” Eren disappeared up the stairs to assist Mikasa with his own roll of duct tape. He stopped in the hallway. “Where do I need to tape Mikasa?” That was probably the most important thing he could really do was figure out where he was needed to lock this place down tight.

 

“The guest room! The go ahead and do the bathroom!” Mikasa called from Armin’s room, where all of the blond’s beloved books were being kept. It seemed Mikasa was trying to save Armin’s books the way he wanted it saved, that was the kind of person that she had always been.

 

“Right away!” Eren ran into the guest room and got the tape right onto the window and began to tape it so they could keep the radiation out. Though no one was certain it would work, it was better to take the risk than just flat out die.

“It’s getting closer!” Bertholdt yelled from where he was outside. The dark cloud flashed with the lighting and glowed with some sort of radioactive property too it. He never saw something so terrifying, nor had he ever wanted to get anywhere near something like it.

 

“Shit! Everyone get a fire lit under those asses we have ten minutes if we are lucky!” The panicked voice of Reiner rang through the house that was by and large at risk at this time. The radiation from the rain might be able to seep in and radiate all of them, making them too sick to be saved by the town hospital.

 

“On it!” Though the fear could not be forced from his voice, Eren’s movement never stopped as he sealed up the guest room’s window and ran right for the bathroom. Though he could hear Reiner racing around the down stairs looking for anywhere else he needed to tape up before he dragged Bertholdt inside to protect him as well.

 

Though the bathroom window was thankfully not as big a job as the one in  the guest room. He stopped for a few moments just to relax after finishing it. They should almost be done with the way they really were dealing with the threat of radioactive rain.

 

“It’s almost here!” Bertholdt shouted from the outside before Reiner pulled him in and gave him a roll of duct tape. It was obvious what he wanted and they started to seal the door off as best as they could so they could flee down  to the basement where Armin had retreated to at this point.

 

“Eren come on if you’re done we need to get down to the basement where it will be somewhat safer for us!” Mikasa’s voice dragged Eren back into the reality of the situation as her footsteps pounded past the bathroom.

 

“Right!” Eren now followed Mikasa. Though this would allegedly keep the radiation out as it rained, Reiner had been very specific about them going down into the basement, it sounded like their best bet to escape possible radiation poisoning.

 

They went right past Reiner and Bertholdt who were finishing with the front door and making sure the lock was taped over before their own footsteps pounded behind Eren and Mikasa making it right for the door to the basement in the kitchen.

 

“Hurry get down here!” Armin yells from the bottom of the stairs. Mikasa lead the charge of them all down to the basement, where Titan stood wagging his tail in the middle as Eren went up to him and started to pet him.

 

“Hey boy. Sorry for leaving you down here alone. I just had to make sure nothing bad happened in the house is all.” He sighed in relief when the sound of the rain started. It was something that could have killed them, but they were safe down here.

 

“We’ll have to stay down here until this ends.” Reiner laid himself out with Bertholdt joining him in laying there. “Until then, we can really do as we like. It’s not like we have much we can do here at this point, but whatever you want.”

 

Mikasa in the meantime had started doing push ups and crunches to pass the time. Armin found himself without a book, not that the basement would provide any lighting anyways without the power. Not much could really be done for him.

 

Soon enough the blond found himself gravitating towards Eren. The young man was distracted petting Titan trying to keep the dog calm. It was one of the things that made Eren seem so much like normal despite being one of the “bad kids” in town with a Juvenile record.

 

“Eren...why did you risk your life to come save me? You would have been safe in the fallout shelter, without almost being exposed to the nuclear rain and having to duct tape so many areas in this house just to make sure we are at less of a risk of getting radiation poisoning. I don’t understand. I treated you like dirt for over four years.” Tears dripped from Armin’s chin as he tried to understand why Eren was so reckless for him now.

 

Eren smiled up at him. “Because Armin, you mean a lot to me, and you always will. I already lost my mom, I don’t know about my dad, but I have you, Mikasa, and everyone else. I at least know I can save you.” He patted the spot on the side of him not taken by Titan for Armin to sit.

 

“Come on we have so much to catch up on Coconut.”


	4. During the Downpour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Armin talk for the first time in four years. With much left unsaid before now, how will the childhood friends work out their tensions and issues in trust?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this took longer than planned, but I have college and work going on right now, so it will have to do. I hope that you all enjoy this as I put a lot of love into this.

The sound of the rain was sort of deafening in a way. Reiner and Bertholdt were whispering to each other as they cuddled, and Mikasa was focusing on exercising to keep herself distracted as she was just stuck here with not much else to do at the moment. Not really anything else that Mikasa could see herself doing here. There was not much in this basement for them to do, it was mainly stored pictures and other things the Arlert family had no space for upstairs but did not want to lose in any sort of way or accident that could potentially occur.

 

Armin had gone silent again after Eren managed to get him to sit down next to him five minutes prior. Though his silence did not wind up laughing as Eren’s Great Dane Titan came over and started licking the blond’s face getting a laugh out of him.

 

“Gahaha! Titan stop that!” Armin cried out as he pushed futally on the dog’s chest trying to push him away as he laughed at the assault on his face.

 

Eren helped get the dog off and snickered. “You realize he was making up for time he missed right?” The teasing nature if the jest present in his voice. “In all seriousness it has been far to long since we last actually talked..or hung out you know.”

 

“I know Eren...I let some stupid politics come in between us..I can’t really justify myself over the last few years. Especially the letting my parents’ evil flying monkey as you so affectionately call Jean, come between us.” Armin offered with an awkward laugh, unsure of exactly what to say to him. It had been years...and Armin knew just cutting eren off and only giving a disapproving look when he got back before walking away from him, nose in the air left a lot of things unsaid that maybe once needed to be said...but now seemed insignficiant.

 

“I never wanted a justification Armin...I just wanted my best friend back, not the weird blond dude who forced a disgusted look on his face whenever he saw me and then walked off with my mortal enemy every time he saw me for the last few years. It wouldn’t be fair to expect justification, or even an apology. All I ever needed or wanted was the person I could confide in for anything...and I’m glad he’s back now...even if it did take Armageddon to finally see him again.”  Eren admitted using his sleeve to wipe Armin’s face off.

 

“Thanks Eren...I...I never thought I would talk to you again...I always figured you’d be out of here before I could ever do that...probably thinking I abandoned you...I have been a really shitty friend….I can’t apologize enough.” Armin rubbed his arm awkwardly, it was odd to be having this conversation with someone who wasn’t even angry.

 

“Armin...I don’t need an apology, though it is appreciated just the same. Like I said, I just want my best friend back. I don’t need hours of speeches on how you know what you did was wrong, or that you regret shutting me out and refusing to listen to me for the past four years. I just want my best friend back. Is that too hard to understand?” Eren just sighed, the world was unfair, but really all he needed was his best friend back, then everything would be alright and nothing would make him feel awful the way he did so often over the past four years, or even angry with the person he thought understood him better than anyone else in the whole world. Maybe he did, but it was not easy to imagine that the way things were right now.

 

“How can you say that Eren?” Ocean blue eyes met the emerald green eyes, with the only emotion that could exist, curiosity.

 

A mixed sound escaped the lips of the brunet, one that could not really have any parts could be identified. “It’s simple, the world is cruel. The only way to win in this world is to fight. So I keep fighting until I can’t fight anymore. No matter what. I keep moving, fighting to stay above the water. Nothing will be to hard with friends around, especially not my best friend.”

 

The response sounded naturally, but only served to further confuse the blond. “Eren I abandoned you for four years...and you’re willing to look past that? How can you even do that!?! What kind of insane freak of nature are you?”

 

“The kind that loves his friends more than he does getting his apology or being right. Someone who values his friend more than some stupid ideological difference that allowed you to at least start what your parents wanted you to do in relations to me. I care more about you than that...even if you did not see that.” The words came easily, almost as if Eren had rehearsed them a thousands of times over the last four years, like this exact moment had been in his head for years and that he wanted it to sound very well thought out and planned out on his part, almost like he wanted it to be absolutely perfect.

 

“You know...I missed you, you damn angry fluff head.” Armin’s arms moved around Eren in a hug, with a huge smile on his face. Eren could be so odd at times, but it was part of what made Eren a valuable friend.

 

Eren laughed. “Of course you did coconut, I am too loveable for you not to have.” Some arrogance never hurt.

 

There were a few moments of silence, something that had become the norm for the two over the last four years. However, this time, it wasn’t from animosity or Eren being upset that his best friend refused to see why he had to fight to protect himself or to look at him for any reason whatsoever.

 

“Eren...I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when your mom died. I can’t imagine how hard that was going through with your dad always gone for his job, Zeke overseas, and Mikasa having so much to do for herself.” Armin ran a hand up and down Eren’s back.

 

“I was going to go to the funeral, but my mom said no. She didn’t want me linked to someone who stood by her son despite the fact he had been to juve. She said it would reflect poorly on my family, and that if I was seen comforting you it would make us look even worse….I have been so selfish doing all of this….Eren….how have you been holding up. Sorry….I somehow made that about me...I definitely did not want to do that but somehow I did. I really wish I could have been there though….Eren…”

 

“Armin...It has been hard, I won’t lie. I am not sure how I made it other than forcing myself to keep going, searching for a lite at the end of the table, and remembering that Titan and Hanji need me for reasons bigger than any reason I have to leave. That is what my words have always meant, this world is cruel. But you can’t win if you don’t fight.”

 

For the first time in his life, Armin began to analyze how those words could actually help Eren keep going forward in his life, and how they gave him hope and allowed him to survive, even when he was faced with such sorrows as losing his mom, his best friend up and abandoning him, using those very words to justify it to himself. Perhaps he had given up on a fight that had been worth fighting...and he felt very stupid for doing so.

 

“And what about your dad now? We know two cities were nuked out of existence a yesterday...and your dad is in Miami, a pretty big target. Do you think he is still alive Eren!?! Will you be okay if he isn’t?” There was worry in Armin’s voice, not at all unfamiliar, but the time to think of this could have been better.

 

“Honestly...I don’t know Armin. He and I have an okay relationship, but it’s only because we tiptoe around my sexual orientation. We aren’t as close as we were when I was younger. That much is for sure. I’m going to go ahead and hope he is okay for as long as I possibly can. Other than that, I have to take whatever life hands me as a part of who I am and what I am. If it’s bad, I just keep fighting as always.” The answer was short, sweet, and a little bit too honest even for Eren.

 

“Now enough about me Armin, how about you? Your parents are in New York, that is a pretty big target too. Are you going to be okay if they did not make it out of whatever happened yesterday alive?”

 

That was a cause of silence from the blond. Clearly that had been one of the last thoughts in his mind with everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours, and the rain falling outside probably had him super distracted from whatever would have told him that his parents were potentially in danger of dying, that was near the back of his mind.

 

“Honestly I never stopped to think of that. I have been so worried about everyone else and the here and now I haven’t stopped to consider what will happen if I was orphaned by these attacks the way you might have been, I guess I was caught up in not being a burden to others that I forgot that it is okay to think about myself sometimes. I just want to make sure that everyone else is safe and happy, and that they are okay. I know it’s not good, but I have you, Jean, Mikasa, Connie, and Sasha to worry about. We are all stuck in this together now, and I don’t know how to deal with this. I just want us all to survive and be happy and not be in constant danger and need some sort of assurance we’ll all make it out of this alive.” Armin hadn’t even realized the tears rolling down his cheeks now.

 

Eren wiped away a tear with a sympathetic look. He knew that this was bad. Especially for Connie and Sasha being part of the only three families of color in town, Connie being a quarter black and Sasha being a quarter Navajo Native American. It would be easy for the town to turn on their families and accuse them of being part of the group that did this. However, their families were well respected, maybe that would save them. If not, Eren would stand against the others, even if it meant he would stand alone. That is what his mother would have wanted him to do, to protect his friends and their freedoms.

 

Not that he really did think it was a danger since their families were well respected. That, and mayor Green would never let anyone do anything bad to those families. They had been part of the community since before Eren was in diapers from what he was to understand. They had never done anything that disrupted the community itself. It was not like they could persecute them for something no one for sure knew was caused by anyone group, especially since there was no way to communicate with the outside world. They were isolated from the rest of the world...so they had to take care of each other.

 

“Don’t worry Armin, as long as Jericho pulls together, works together, and remembers now is not the time to fight amongst ourselves and be suspicious of our neighbors, we’ll be fine. It’s about being together and fighting through this hard time. We have to remember, we are Americans, we have fighting spirit stronger than most, what people should fear about us is how we get back up, no matter what you through our way. We get back up and we fight. So we pull together and we fight. We keep going, we remember, the power of our freedom is also a responsibility to use it wisely...I think that is what Ms.Hanji tried to teach me earlier when she was letting people clear her store. Our freedom is our greatest weapon, and hope in this time.” Eren tried to sound confident and strong.

 

“And if they dare come after Connie and Sasha, they’ll have to get through me first. They won’t hurt our friends. I promise. You are the best person to worry about them, but if we all stick together, we will survive. You just need to believe in us, and this town Armin. We are strong, and we will survive, no matter what happens.” Eren relaxed back on the wall now. They had talked more in the last few hours than they had in four years leading up to this, that was somewhat comforting to him. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad, even if he did have to be the strong one again.


	5. After the rainfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rainfall has stopped, but the situation is growing more dire. The town is turning on each other, and there is danger around every corner and many lives have been ruined by the bombs exploding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the racial and homophobic slurs in this chapter. A part of this story is a social commentary on the United States, much more easily in small town America. This chapter is also a bit longer than previous chapters, but it has a lot of key plot points I intend to expand on a little bit later. I poured a lot of love into this chapter, please enjoy.

When the rainfall finally ended, they could emerge. Reiner lead them in the attempts to keep themselves safe as they disposed of the duct tape, with any luck it would not be radioactive. At least they hoped. It took awhile, but the job was accomplished and they headed outside were everyone was emerging from where they had hidden during the nuclear rainfall. The town seemed to be safe and sound, so that was a relief. They would have to get to work on tilling the soil soon, but everyone was alright. That was what mattered now. At least until Eren hear a familiar voice scream at him.

 

“Eren Yeager don’t you ever do something like that again!” Hanji screamed as she came flying their way. Hell hath no fury like Hanji when she was angry, and Eren knew it. A bead of sweat rolled down his face as Hanji approached with the death glare that put all other death glares to shame. “And Mikasa you aren’t out the woods either! You enabled that risky behavior!” She grabbed both of their ears now making Eren and Mikasa squirm a little against the pulling. “That was reckless I can’t believe you two did something so stupid without regard for your own lives. Though it is noble that you did it to save Armin.”

 

That is when Hanji took a chance to look at Armin and smiled. “Hi Armin! Great to see you and Eren are friends again, glad you are still alive. Sorry I have to chew these two out in front of you.” Then she looked back to Eren and Mikasa. “I know you won’t be able to keep this promise, but I want you to make a promise to at least try to not put yourselves in danger like that Eren and Mikasa.”

 

Eren sighed. He had of course known something like this would be Ms.Hanji’s reaction. He was relieved Titan knew hanji wouldn’t hurt him and was therefore being calm about all of this.  “Yes Ms.Hanji I promise I will think more carefully before running into danger like I just did.” He had since given up squirming and was accepting his little kid like fate. The ear pull of shame. This hadn’t happened to him since his mom disciplined him after that fight he got into that sent him to juvenile hall.

 

Mikasa shrugged. “I can try, but if my friends are in danger I will do it no matter what, they are worth dying for. I know you understand the feeling Hanji, after all your old friends from the force are people you would do the same for. You know it.”

 

Hanji reluctantly nodded, her time as a cop felt so long ago. Especially since she had been running the store for awhile, they did not change the fact she would die easily for all of them. That was the truth. “True.” Hanji turned her attention back to Eren. “Now there really isn’t much to do at the store right now, get some fresh air, you were just stuffed down in a basement for two hours, and that is an order.” he got her joking salute from Eren before turning and heading for her store.

 

“Looks like I have the rest of today off.” Eren relaxed a bit with a smile. It had been awhile since something that good had really happened for him. Then he could just spend some down time around the town. That was the real relief.

 

“I also brought Titan’s leash for you since you took off without it.” Hanji snickered as she held out the least and Eren took it blushing. He didn’t like putting Titan on it, but it was the law. He had to follow that. Even if it made no personal sense to him. Granted there were other areas he really did not budge on, such as having the dog sleep outside, that was a no no to him.

 

Eren hooked Titan up as Hanji headed back to the store. The day was still young, and that much Eren knew for sure. “What do you guys say we go around town and have some fun? Check up on some friends, you know make sure that everyone is alright. Because the town is not okay. I promise that if they are in some sort of danger we can help them.” Eren gave one of his legendary confident smiles.

 

“I say that sounds like a good idea.” Mikasa gave a smile, then waited for Eren to start walking with Titan before she turned and cut Armin off, giving him the disappointed mom look she had mastered over the years.

 

“Just what the hell have you been thinking?  Cutting Eren out like that. Always walking away when I try to get you to talk to him  again? What the hell have you been doing the past four years. You are his friend. F-R-I-E-N-D, Friend. Do you know what that means? Or did you forget because mommy and daddy told you hanging out with Eren is a no no and you just can’t think for yourself? For someone who is so smart you sure are acting dumb!” Mikasa had her turn to tell Armin off, and she had just taken that.

 

Then she pulled him into a hug. “Other than that scolding I missed you Armin. Don’t you ever do something like that again. It is hard enough going through life, but take away your friends and it is hardly possible. You are lucky that Eren is so forgiving you know that right? I mean you had better know that.”

 

Armin nodded as he returned the hug. “I know I am Mikasa...and I’m sorry….” There were a few moments of silence now.

 

“How’s the dysphoria? I know it isn’t your favorite subject, but you haven’t completed the transition yet.” Armin’s concerned look at Mikasa as she broke from the hug so they could look at each other’s faces better as they talked.

 

“Honestly hell, Eren helps where he can but school and work have been keeping his busy. I am still struggling, even with top surgery and having been on hormone therapy since I was thirteen I still feel somewhat trapped. I am not the person I want to be yet. I just try to bury and be strong most days Armin. I don’t think I’ll ever be fully happy until I have finally gotten my bottom surgery, which probably won’t happen until at least Eren’s dad gets back, though I am hoping to do it before going off to college.” Mikasa sighed a little, she felt like she couldn’t trust many people given how conservative it was here, it was really awkward since she had to go change into gym uniform in private since neither locker room wanted her in them during gym classes. Though she was allowed to do wrestling since it was a mixed gender sport.

 

“I am sorry Mikasa, you deserve better than that. I wish I knew of a way to help, but I am no doctor.” Armin sighed. “At least the town has been very good at pretending they don’t know I guess.” Everything was going high stress, and what if because of those bombs Mikasa couldn’t get her estrogen? This was very complicating to their lives, that much he really did seem to know for sure.

 

“I’d rather not talk about this...and we let Eren get to far away. We have to catch up, who knows what trouble he’ll get himself into with a day off.” Mikasa started to run knowing Eren probably had not looked behind him before heading into town to have an afternoon of leisure activities that would likely be met with suspicious glares and judgemental looks. That was what he always got after he got a day off and was wandering the town where nothing ever really seemed to happen, but Mikasa had a feeling that was all about to change.

 

“Oh no, you’re right, we had better hurry!” Armin started to run after her, Eren was notoriously short tempered and if he saw something he did not like, lord so help the person doing it. Eren would get overly angry at all of this, and that was a fact.

 

Meanwhile, Eren came right up on a scene he immediately did not like. Connie and Sasha had been trapped by three or four other teenagers, Connie having put himself between Sasha and their hecklers. The teens around them were screaming horrible racial slurs and calling them traitors to the nation, citing the fact that they were not fully white as the “proof” that they and their families were “obviously apart of the conspiracy against the United States”.

Eren rolled up a sleeve and and let go of Titan, who pinned one teenager to a car growling causing another one to run for dear life as the remaining two turned to Eren glaring with hateful eyes that told the tale of the hateful angry teenagers they really were. Especially to have attacked Connie and Sasha unprovoked this way.

 

“You stop harassing them now, they had nothing to do with those bombs, and you know it.” Eren growled and cracked his knuckles as the bullies drew closer together and started to whisper. Eren was not a bad fighter, but a double team could easily take him down.

 

“Okay, we kick Eren’s ass, then beat on his dog right in front of him. It will teach that faggot to dare get involved in our attacks on the nigger and the red skin.” One whispered right to the other as they chuckled.

 

That is when Mikasa and Armin came into view. Mikasa already had the kill a bitch look on her face as she looked at the site in front of her and had pieced together what these people would have to be doing to get Eren and Titan’s wrath this way.

 

“Oh shit that’s Mikasa! Run!” The second yelled out and the two remaining bullies shot off screaming about how they were screwed if Mikasa caught up with them.

 

The third guy was cowering at Titan’s growling and whimpering. “P-Please! Call your dog off Eren! I don’t want those big doggy teeth taking a chunk from my tender cheeks.” He whimpered and looked to the angry brunet pleadingly.

 

“I am sorry, what was that? I’m sorry I was a racist bag of dicks to your friends Eren? I won’t ever do it again? I’ll even apologize to Connie and Sasha right now Eren?” The questions were sincere, and that was the only way Eren was going to call Titan off the bully.

 

“F-Fine I’ll apologize and mean it! Just please call your dog off!” The male was not daring to try and push the enormous angry dog off him fearing it might provoke an attack from the already angered dog.

 

“Okay, Titan, down!” Eren barked and the dog did so, allowing Eren to get ahold of his coor and let the male do his quickest apologies to Connie and Sasha, then ran off screaming when Eren acted like he was going to let go of Titan for a round two at the asshole for going after his friends. The guy was going to regret. He looked over to Connie and Sasha, Connie had cupped Sasha’s face as he looked at her.

 

“Sasha I am so glad you are okay. I am sorry you went through that. Just stay near me, they can’t hurt you if I am in front of you.” Connie made some muscle flexes, though the baldie might not look it, he was actually quite strong and well built, and had a lot of agility to him from soccer and dance. He also could work out with Reiner and Eren like almost no one else could. One of few that was capable of doing that.

 

“Thank you Connie.” Sasha’s eyes had closed, the assault had not been physical, but the mental scarring from the words that had been created would never leave her. These horrible things people had screamed at her, just because she was different. That alone was enough to hurt, to know the town she grew up in did not trust her.

 

“It’s no problem.” He looked over to Eren. “Thanks Eren, thanks Titan. If it hadn’t been for you two, who the hell knows what would have happened. The thing you did with Titan was a pretty good idea, scared one of them off and had the other terrified.”

 

Eren laughed. “I knew it would work. Titan looks and sounds scary when he is growling. He wouldn’t have hurt him.” Eren scratched the dog behind his ears. “I couldn’t just let you guys get hurt by these jack asses who cannot listen to Mayor Green on taking care of each other or protecting one another.” He sighed and winced when Mikasa grabbed him by the ear.

 

“Eren it was two on one. We both know Connie can’t get involved unless they went after him physically, you have to be more careful than that. Besides how would it look?” Mikasa asked keeping his ear trapped between her thumb and her finger.

 

“Owwww! I’m sorry but Connie and Sasha needed help!” Eren tried to defend himself as Sasha caught something out of the corner of her eyes.

 

“Guys there’s a news broadcast going on!!! In Ms.Hanji’s store now!!!!” She yelled and headed right for it with Connie on her heels with an excited but terrified look on his face, who knew what was going to be on that broadcast. There was not much they could do to help much here to do other than get the information.

 

“It looks Chinese!” Armin managed following after looking over to see the scrolling letters leading the three others in a charge to the store. The story had a map of the United States on it, and there were twenty three red circles. One just over Miami...on over Washington DC, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta...and eighteen others.

 

Eren’s eyes hit the map and he went silent, small tears forming in his eyes. He coughed, and then just fell forward tears streaming down his cheek and letting out a pained scream. He didn’t know if this was a celebration of the victory of a campaign or not, nor did he really give a damn. Miami was gone, his dad was dead, he had been at a convention, if he wasn’t in a meeting he was in his hotel room. That meant Dr.Grisha Yeager was dead, and Eren Yeager was officially an orphan, left with just his dog and maybe his older brother, unless the US knew who did this and had started lobbing nukes, but that was unlikely given that Washington DC was gone.

 

Mikasa dropped down to her knees, rubbing Eren’s back as tears and snot started to hit Hanji’s floors. “I know Eren I know. I’m so sorry…” The news cast was not easy to understand, Mikasa spoke Japanese from going off to Japan, but did not speak Mandarin, which was the language of the male reporting the destruction of twenty three major American cities.

 

“So it was China who did this?” Connie asked looking around, Hanji was crying just a little too, but making her way over to try and hug Eren and try to calm him down, leaning down and wrapping her arms around him, the grieving male knowing he wasn’t in a position to really take much more of this.

 

“No, those aren’t tears of joy Connie, like he would have if he were reporting a successful military campaign against an enemy.” Armin noted as they lost the signal and it went back to only the National Emergency Alert system with the sound that Sasha silenced as no one needed to hear it and no one was giving the information they were told to stand by for. “If anything, he was crying as he reported the loss of over several million, potentially tens or hundreds of millions of people in the world because of someone’s hatred for a nation. Whoever did this is likely the scorn of the entire world right now, and I doubt they will take credit, something like this will cause a world war the instant it is found out who did it, if not sooner because of accusations that are going on.”

 

“Guys, I understand this is a real concern, but maybe we can wait until Eren here has calmed down?” Hanji finally spoke up as Sasha bent down and joined the basically Eren sandwich hug while he sobbed with Titan having pressed up to him while Mikasa had joined the hug. Eren was just a mess because of everything that was going on.

 

“Oh my god, I am sorry Eren I was focused on the report.” Armin ran over and wrapped his arms around Eren. He had been caught up in trying to figure out what was happening. The other male was grieving, probably because he had been too relieved that New York had not been nuked out of existence so there was a chance his own parents were still alive despite the explosions that had rocked the very foundations of the United States.

 

Connie dropped down and joined the sandwich as well. The world was going to hell, and Eren for the first time since his mom’s funeral, was actually showing his emotions. He was taking time to grieve. That made Connie feel just awful, Eren needed his friends, now more than ever. He had been one of the ones to let Eren slip away from them once, he wasn’t going to do that again, no matter what happened. They were friends, and they were in this together.

 

Eren cried for at least fifteen minutes before he stopped. Hanji disappeared to the back before coming back with water for Eren to drink.

 

“You need to hydrate Eren. You just lost a lot of water through crying, and wipe your face with one of the paper towels behind the counter. You need it, that got your face all covered in goop.” She tossed him a few as Eren sipped at the water, then Mikasa took over and wiped his face a bit as well.

 

“Thanks guys...it looks like there is some sort of meeting outside…” Eren managed to stand up, using Armin, Connie, and Titan to stabilize himself. “I think we should go out there and see what is going on. They are probably trying to figure out what to do with this information that we just got. I hope it is something they can do.” Eren started to walk slowly towards the door of the store.

 

Mikasa got it for him and let everyone out to head towards the gathering in the town hall. It was a very quick but important one. Mayor Green’s son Jake proposed they send four people he dubbed “the four horsemen” out to investigate the world and see what they could gather and determine how they should move forward from here and see the best way to protect Jericho. Of course all of this was a gamble, but the town reluctantly agreed.

 

After the meeting, Eren was approached by Reiner and Bertholdt.

 

“Eren, Bertholdt and I are making a run outside of town, just in case anyone needs some help and we can help them. Do you want to come? Maybe you’ll find something for Ms.Hanji’s store.” Reiner offered. “Of course you’ll need to have a gun on you, but I can provide that.”

 

Eren had to think for a moment. “Of course I will. I think it is actually really important, Ms.Hanji has nothing here, so we have to hurry. Otherwise Ms.Hanji might not be able to eat.” Eren had stuff at home, but he was more worried about Hanji now.

 

“Alright come on.” Reiner lead them to his house where he handed out the hunting rifles and looked at Eren. “Quick repeat to me the gun safety rules right now Eren.” That was his way of checking.

 

“Never treat the gun like a toy. Always treat the gun like it is loaded. Keep safety lock on when it is not in use. Never aim the gun at anyone or anything you are not willing to shoot.” Eren had memorized them, even though his father never let him get a gun in for their house. Granted the law did not seem to matter as much right now.

 

“Alright let’s roll.” Reiner lead the way with Eren, Bertholdt, and Titan following after him. Once they were out of town, Eren split off and headed a different direction letting Titan off his leash while Reiner and Bertholdt started off down the main road.

 

Eren walked for almost half an hour before coming to a complete stop. “You see that train too Titan?” Eren descended towards it, there did not seem to be a soul in the area. He was really worried a bit. He investigated but could not find a conductor, then he popped it open and his mouth dropped. There was tons of food in it.

 

“Titan, I think we found something that will help Ms.Hanji.” He turned and started off, back on his half hour long trek back towards the main road.

 

Meanwhile, Reiner and Bertholdt were walking down the main road for fifteen minutes when a small figure came running their way. Bertholdt was shocked but dropped down and picked the small figure up.

 

“Reiner it’s a little boy!” Bertholdt managed and started looking over him. He was really upset, tears streaming down his face, and Bertholdt looked him over. “He’s covered in dried blood!” The panic was evident which only scared the boy more. “Wait no...shhh.shhhh.shhhh. It’s okay, it’s okay.” He tried to comfort the boy. “I’ve gotcha you’re okay.”

 

Reiner blinked and placed a hand on the boy’s back. “It’s okay.It’ll be okay, nothing bad will happen.” His eyes scanned the nearby area. “Get him to the hospital, I’m going to try and see if I can find his family. Hurry Bertholdt. He needs help and medical attention.”

 

Bertholdt nodded. “Right,” He looked back down to the boy. “It’s going to be okay, we are taking you to a nice place were some nic nurses are going to make sure you’re healthy.” He turned and started running down the road, cradling the boy close to him and making his way right back into town.

 

Reiner walked the additional fifteen minutes to where he found a crash site. The car had spun out of control, and it seemed the three bodies in  it were dead, it looked like footprints from the boy seemed to come from here.

 

“He lost his family...how awful...I have to hurry.” Reiner turned around and started belining it for town. His path intersected Eren as he finally got back to the main road.

 

“I found a train full of food and other supplies. You find anyone in need of help?” Eren asked as they met back up with Reiner and hooked Titan up as they headed back for town. The grim look on Reiner’s face told a tale. “Oh no...what happened?”

 

“A little boy ran to Bertholdt. I had him take him to the hospital while I searched for the boy's family...they crashed and well….” The tears told Eren the rest and he put his hand on Reiner’s shoulder.

 

“I am sorry, but we need to get back to town, you for that boy, and me for Hanji.” Eren tried to give a confident smile. “You get to them, and I’ll get o Hani.”

 

Reiner nodded and back to town they went. Eren went right to Hanji’s store and entered letting Titan off and going up to Hanji.

 

“I found a train, it's full of food and water, we can stock the store back up! We can have things in here again!!!” He explained.

 

“Eren..that wasn’t just for us here in Jericho.” Hanji tried to ration as Eren’s face went to pleading.

 

“Come on Ms.Hanji...this won’t just help us but Jericho, I can take you there and we can load up.” Eren was desperate, this was something that would hopefully help them get all the things that the town needed.

 

Hanji thought for a moment. “Oh, alright. If it’s for the town.”


	6. Changing Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With weeks having passed since the bombs went off, life is slowly returning to normal in Jericho. Then everything changes when the power returns to them and a message arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, took way longer than I would have liked, but school and work kicked my ass. I put a lot of love into this chapter, I hope you all love reading it as much as I did writing it.

“Eren wake up.” Hanji gently shook the boy. “It’s time to open up the shop and do the fun stuff that comes with that. You know we gotta. I guess that train was beneficial, even if it took a few days to get here.”

 

It had been several weeks since America had been nuked. Things had not gone back to normal. The power did not come back, so the store sacrificed it’s oil rations to ensure the hospital kept functioning for the people of the town, even town hall only had four hours of electricity a day at this point, and even then oil was running out and was becoming a little bit scarce, which had many people scared. The only thing Eren knew was that Hanji was refusing to give up her personal oil supply, she was saving that for winter to try and keep Eren warm at night. He and Titan slept here most nights after the news story they intercepted from China confirmed Miami no longer existed. If not there, it was at Mikasa’s house.

 

“Right, thanks Ms.Hanji.” Eren smiled up at her as he got up. “I hope me staying here has not been too much trouble for you. I’ll get Titan out in a few seconds, then I’ll get to the trade desk and get started on work for the day.”

 

“Oh no need to worry about Titan, I took him earlier and let you sleep. He was whining at the door. You just get yourself ready for work alright? I’m going to go to the back to set a few things up and get the logs and all. Just be ready to work.” Hanji waved and headed into the back.

 

Eren nodded and moved his stuff to behind the counter and quickly swept up and did some quick other cleaning things before setting the sign to open and getting Titan to sit down in his usual spot when it was time for customers to start coming in for the day.

 

Eren was somewhat relieved that Reiner was the first person to come in. It meant he wouldn’t be dealing with someone who was really grumpy right away, at least not someone who would take it out on him. He was always thankful for that.

 

“Good morning Reiner. Good to see you, how are you doing?” Eren looked up with the depressed smile he had developed over the last few weeks.

 

“Oh things are going as well as they can without power and any real idea of when this is going to end. It is just so super.” Reiner’s voice carried a bit of sarcasm. No one really had a good situation at the moment.

 

“Well that’s as well as things seem to be going now a days.” Eren admitted as he looked at the stuff Reiner brought in to trade. “How’s the little tyke? Jimmy I believe he said his name was. How’s he doing? You know the kid you found a few days after the bomb went off.”

 

Reiner sighed. “He is doing better about not freaking out when neither Bertholdt or I are in the room, but he has this tendency to grab my leg when I go to do something. I don’t think he likes the idea of being alone again after his family died in that accident.”

 

Eren nodded. “Something like that so soon after seeing a mushroom cloud and having to try and survive a situation with fallout, just to have the family crash because some asshole runs them off the road to steal their supplies when they’re dead.” That was a true statement, the world had become even more cruel than normal. In just a short manner of time that he had lost pretty much everything and then there was the kid, who lost everything for real, his house, his family, and any peace of mind and his mental stability.

 

That is when the power flickered back on. Eren’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw the TV flip onto the emergency alert system. Eren turned the volume all the way down. For the first time in several weeks the TV in Ms.Hani’s shop was actually on, but it was not on the things he would have found useful, just a national alert system.

 

That is when the phone rang. Eren suddenly grabbed up the phone. “Hello!?! Hanji’s Grocery Store. Eren Yeager speaking.” Eren managed to get out his own voice out prior to whoever was about to speak.

 

“This is deputy director Walsh of Homeland Security. I have an emergency bulletin. America has been nuked. Twenty three United States cities have been wiped off the face of the earth. Over 30 million people have been killed. This is the biggest national emergency in history. It is crucial that you do not panic. If you are safe remain where you are. Help is on the way. I repeat help is on the way. If you are safe stay where you are.”

 

Eren hung the phone up with a sigh. This was not his ideal way to spend the day, having to try and figure out what some prerecorded message from the federal government saying that help was coming, but not saying when.

 

“What was that all about Eren?” Reiner raised an eyebrow, it sounded pretty important.

 

“It was an automated call from the government. They said to stay were we are if we are safe to stay where we are and that help is on the way.” Eren looked up seriously as he offered out some supplies in exchange to Reiner.

 

Reiner blinked. “That actually sounds really good thankgod. I am relieved to hear that. It means maybe things will start coming back together for us. I hope so at least.” He exchanged the goods with Eren. “I have to get going, Bertholdt and Jimmy and all that good stuff, see you Eren.”

 

“It might be, and see ya Reiner. You all take care allright?” Eren called waving goodbye,

 

Meanwhile, Armin, Connie, and Sasha were all hanging out near the trailer park as electricity came back on.

 

“Oh wow look lights!” Sasha called out happily. “Now we can actually make very good foods! Imagine all the cooking we can do!” Of course she was thinking about all of this kind of good stuff.

 

“Sasha do you think about food all the time?” Armin teased her. Of course he was just jesting, he knew Sasha better than that. It was just fun to see that the first thing she was thinking about was food. He now pulled out his laptop to try and check his email. “Damn the government is blocking the internet. I guess they don’t want terrorists communicating.”

 

“I am sorry Armin.” Connie tried to assure him, then he let out a shriek of terror as the transformer blew. That is when a fire started and Connie shot off to towards Eren’s house, not sure what else to do other than try and get whatever he could get from the house, almost certain this happened elsewhere given this happened when the electricity returned.

 

“Connie what are you doing!?!” Armin managed to shout at him as Sasha started running towards the trailer home as well. “Run away from the fire!!!”

 

“Eren’s going to need some of the things in that trailer, and they’ll put this place out last and you know it! Eren’s house could be destroyed.” The baldie shouted over his shoulder as he ran inside with Sasha following.

 

That is when Armin shot off after them despite a yell from someone in the distance, probably people trying to escape the fire from their homes, unsure of why the children were running into danger, maybe they would understand when they learned it was for a friend.

 

“Grab only a few things then we are getting the hell out!” Connie shouted as he flew around the area, grabbing a recent picture of Eren and Titan, a family picture from last year, and a picture of Eren and his mom from childhood as well as a watch Eren had not worn since his mom’s death that she had got him and turned to rush on out.

 

Armin in the meantime was in Eren’s room, grabbing his winter Jacket, getting him three changes of clothes, three pairs of sleep clothes, three pairs of socks, and three pairs of underwear. Armin debated trying to get more, but wound up just putting them all into the backpack before zipping it up and running out behind him.

 

Sasha in the meantime was scrambling trying to find something that would help. She paused when she saw some of Eren’s favorite foods, that is what she grabbed and ran outside of the trailer and joined Connie and Armin a ways back as the fire progressed.

 

“What the hell were you three thinking!?!” Jean shrieked running over to them having seen the smoke and come running. “You all could have been killed! Think before you all act! Think!!!” He shouted.

 

“We were just getting Eren somethings from his house! He’s been sleeping at the store since we got the news broadcasts!”Armin tried to explain. “He’ll lose everything if his house goes up in smoke the way it looks like it might, so we grabbed things that might comfort him.”

 

“Like hell it will, we have a hose and access to water, let’s dose this fire right now!” Jean’s movement for the house only stopped when Connie and Sasha both grabbed him and pulled him back and away from it.

 

“What the hell you two!?! We have to do something!!!” Jeans egs kicked aimlessly as he failed abut trying to escape their grip.

 

“Bad idea Jean, just trust me. Leave this for the professionals, you aren’t trained.” Sasha pointed as they tried to drag him away despite the protests.

 

“Yeah you could get badly burned Jean! It’s not worth your life stuff can be replaced!” Connie attempted to further reason.

 

“If those alone can’t convince you Jean, it’s an electrical fire, fighting it right now could get you electrocuted, the transformer blew after the power came back on. Spraying it could really badly hurt you.” Armin desperately tried to get him to listen.

 

“So we just, stand here and watch houses burn?” Jean asked defeated as a fire truck arrived and they were herded backwards and kept at a distance as the fire and flames engulfed Eren’s house while the fire department waited for the all clear to fight it when the power to this part of town was turned off.

 

“Unfortunately, yes.” Armin whimpered as tears rolled down his cheeks.

 

“B-But those houses...poor Eren...we’ve all been through so much, now he and others living here have to go through more…” Jean felt the hot stream of his own tears as the fire fighting finally began. 

 

Meanwhile, back at Hanji’s store Eren had climbed onto the roof and was desperately adjusting the satellite dish trying to get a signal from somewhere there might be a news broadcast to help them learn what was going on.

Hanji ran out. “Eren we have something get your butt down here!” She called before running back in as Eren scurried on down the ladder and ran inside to look up at the TV and hopefully see what Hanji was seeing.

 

The screen was quite revealing. The TV showed five images over and over again. The first being a mushroom cloud, the second being F-13s and Tanks deploying, the third police fighting back what was likely a food riot somewhere, the fourth was naval ships deploying from an unidentified port, the fifth being people fleeing with suitcases and other things on foot. That could mean a variety of things, they were fleeing fall out, an enemy army was advancing, or there was groups of bad people running around terrorizing the law abiding citizens whose lives had been ruined by this.

 

“Things are even more of a hell now then they were before this whole thing went down.” Eren grumbled. “I mean more wars, a government that currently seems more interested in attacking people than getting lawn and order reestablished and protecting us from interior threats to our freedom.”

 

“I understand what you mean Eren, but maybe they knew who did this and could not wait.” Hanji nervously looked at the images before shutting it off. “I think we have seen more than enough for now Eren.”

 

Eren nodded and went back behind the desk. “I think they managed to put the fires at the library and the trailer park out that I yelled down about after seeing the smoke. It seems like they were smoking white instead of black. I hope they didn’t do too much damage.”

 

“Eren they probably put them out in plenty of time.” The movement of her hand swift, Hanji let Eren know she had full confidence that his family’s home was still standing like it had been since he was alive.

 

That is around the time Connie, Armin, and Sasha came in.

 

“Guys? What’s up? Why do you have stuff from my house?” Eren’s confusion was not unwarranted, it was strange for them to go into his house without him being there. Then it his him, like a ton of bricks. “You mean….it burned down?”

 

They nodded and swarmed Eren as tears leaked, setting down the stuff they salvaged to hug him as Mikasa and her parents walked in, stopping confused by the scene in front of them, especially by the things from Eren’s place.

 

“Umm...the fire in the trailer park.” Was all Hanji had to say before all three looked at each other and pulled Hanji over to join the hug.

 

As it broke Mrs.Ackerman finally decided to speak. “I think we all need this to cheer up at this point, we are hereby extending an invitation for everyone here to a feast we are preparing with what we have tonight at seven o’clock.”

 

“I say we all need that.” Hanji waved. “I’ll make sure Eren and Titan are there.” From there Mr. Ackerman and Mrs.Ackerman left to go invite more people. Specifically people such as Reiner and Bertholdt to join them for their feast.

 

“Thank you guys for bringing what you could really.” Eren pulled Armin, Connie, and Sasha close. “You guys really were looking out for me.” He then broke that and went and hugged Mikasa. “And thank you and your family for doing this, it sounds nice.”

 

“It will be, why don’t you and Armin stay at my place tonight? Just because this happened and all and it’s yet another trauma that seems to just be stockpiling lately.” Mikasa drew closer. “Now I am going to take Connie and Sasha to the side, you get Armin and ask him to sit by you tonight.” The command was made, and the commander disappeared over to Connie and Sasha isolating Eren and Armin.

 

Eren was somewhat shocked, Mikasa knew about his crush? How did she know? Maybe a sister’s intuition. Eren smiled over at Armin.

 

“Hey Armin, sit by me tonight at the Ackerman’s feast?” Eren asked trying to be somewhat casual when he had a feeling there would not be a mutual feeling, no matter how much he wished for it to be.

 

“That actually sounds nice.”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Armi’s hand moving up and down his own arm. It felt sort odd to see, as it seemed unusual for Armin since he had started to get more confident. Maybe this situation was bringing back old habits. Oh well, Eren would help fix it back up.

 

The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully, and Eren for once did not mind that given that everything was going to hell. It was nice to see that Jericho was somehow unaffected this far by any sort of unruliness.

 

That night, everyone started to arrive to the rather large feast. Bringing with them something, of course this more closely resembled what one might see at a party than at a feast, but it was the only thing they really had.

 

Eren entered quickly, carrying some of the things Sasha had brought earlier, he might as well share the wealth so to speak. Besides, he needed this to cheer him up after everything he had been through in the past few months, and everyone else joining him in the past several weeks. Things were going horrible, so they needed it.

 

The world was even more unsafe now than ever before. This was the only way to calm down. To have some fun to take their minds off of the hell that was around them. The fallout had passed, and so had many other things, help was on the way, they just did not know when. That was all part of it.

 

The next to arrive where Reiner, Bertholdt, and little Jimmy. Jimmy shrieked and slid behind Bertholdt when he saw how big Titan was which got a sigh from Bertholdt.

 

“Jimmy don’t be scared. That is Titan, he is Eren’s dog. He may look a little bit scary, but he is really just a big Teddy Bear and he loves kids.” He tried to reason with the boy who only panicked in response.

 

“To eat!?!” Jimmy’s fear made him fall back a few feet.

 

“No Jimmy, as in to pay with. He won’t eat you.” Bertholdt assured him. “Just hold your hand out like this.” Bertholdt demonstrated with his own hand, chuckling somewhat as he was licked on the hand. “See?”

 

Jimmy now tried and giggled as his hand was licked, squealing in laughter as his face was next and then took off to play with the dog.

 

That was a little bit of a relief as Bertholdt stood up and turned to Eren. “I am glad he is a good dog, especially with kids.“

 

”Great Danes are really good with kids. It’s why I picked him. That and my dad actually never said there was a size limit.’’ Eren laughed and Bertholdt face palmed. Of course Eren would have that as a reason for the dog.

 

They began to work on getting the table ready for the large amount of guests they would have to feed. The other guests began to trickle in. First Sasha and her dad, then the Springer family, and the Kistien’s, surprisingly Mrs.Kirstien was pregnant, so Jean would be a big brother, the rest of the crew congratulated him as they sat down to dine.

 

The dinner was surprisingly civil, with joking and laughing, as if the world had not ended two weeks ago. Things were almost like usual, there was even some playful banter between people who usually did not get along.

 

”Hey suicidal bastard, pass the salt will you? I think it might make this spam meat a tad more enjoyable.” Jean teased from his spot directly across from Eren. It was rare he actually joked with Eren.

 

Eren laughed. ”I am sure I can you evil flying monkey.’’ He passed some salt while Jean gave hima  mock look of anger and hatred. “You know Jean, I haven’t seen you smile or give me mock looks in years, special occasion?”

 

Jean snickered. “Well you make Armin smile. I was trying to protect him before, but I guess what he needs right now is you. We still aren’t friends, but I’ll tolerate you for him.” The other male dismissively waved.

 

Eren rolled his eyes, as the ground started to shake and the lights flickered. Titan barked rather loudly and Jimmy jumped into Bertholdt’s lap really freaked out, and Eren got up darting out the door to investigate, followed closely by Armin, Mikasa, Connie, Jean, Reiner, and Hanji to investigate the cause.

 

Their eyes froze as they looked to the skies. Two missiles were flying right over their heads. This could mean nothing good.


End file.
